Improvement in lid-supporters for trunks



UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

JOSEPH STOTT, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN LID-SUPPORTERS FOR TRUNKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 139,435, dated May 27, 1873; application filed January 8, 1873.

To all whom tt may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH Srorr, of Norwich, in New London county, State of Connecticut, have invented a certain Improved Lid-Supporter for Trunks and all other articles having hinges, of which the following is a specification My invention consists of a simple and substantial device for supporting the lid of any article either partially or wholly open, and which, when the lid is closed, readily folds itself into a small space inside of the article, without disturbing its contents.

Figure 1 shows a side view of my supporter, as applied to a plain box. Fig. 2 shows the top edge of the same.

A represents the body of a box, and B its hinged lid. C and D are the two parts of the supporter, hinged together by the pin at c, forming a knee-joint, being preferably made of thin bars of metal, with the bar 0 a little longer than the bar D, so as to enable both "to fold more readily into the box. The bar D may be attached at cl to the lid either by means of the angle piece K, secured to the front of the lid, as shown in Fig. 1, or when the lid is recessed like a trunk by a piece secured to the inner side of the lid. The lower end of the bar C has a slot, E, through which a screw I is inserted into the side of the box near its top, the length of the slot being varied, as required. F is a pin projecting from the inside of the box, on which the bar C rests when the lid is closed.

The operation of this device is as follows: When the lid is thrown back the knee-joint is extended and the end of the slot is drawn against the screw I, but as the lid is brought forward, the slotted-bar C slides forward upon the screw, while at the same time the motion of the lid about its hinge, by the friction of the joint at d, springs the knee-joint 0 below the line of the centers 01 I, thus enabling the lid to be easily closed.. This slot also permits the bar C to move forward or backward when the lid is closed, so as to adjust itself to the position of the bar D, thus dispensing with any nice adjustment of the points d and I. \Vhenever it is desirable to leave the lid partly raised for any purpose, the knee-joint 0 may be thrown up and the lid allowed to close until it rests upon the joint 0.

The object of my invention is to furnish a cheap and reliable support for the lid, and

to avoid the trouble arising from the use of 1 tapes, straps, or cords, which, in closing the lid, are apt to get outside or between the lid and the top of the trunk and, in opening the lid, are also apt to catch in and misplace the contents.

I do not broadly claim the use of kneejointed bars, for I am aware that these are not new; but I I do claim as my invention- The lid-supporter herein described, consisting of theknee-jointed bars 195C, when the bar C has the slot E made in its lower end, so as to allow the slotted bar to slide upon the screw I to prevent the knee-joint being caught on its center, and to facilitate its attachment for use, substantially as herein set forth.

JOSEPH STOTT. Witnesses:

WEBSTER PARK, A. F. PARK. 

